Skeletonwitch Raise Hell in Georgia

By now, everyone has heard about last month's Scion Rock Fest - the stacked (and I mean STACKED) lineup, the various stages, the suspiciously green-tinted air during High on Fire's set, the unexpected blizzard that left tons of attendees and bands stranded. "Epic" doesn't even begin to describe that weekend, or at least my experiences there (which will remain undisclosed to protect the guilty). The Devil went down to Georgia, indeed.

Speaking of guilty, Noisecreep recently tracked down Scott Hedrick, Skeletonwitch's affable guitarist, to compare Scion war stories. Anyone who's hung out with the 'Witch knows how much they rule and how hard they party (a lot, for the uninitiated), so one can only imagine what kind of trouble they got into while stranded at a near-deserted hotel in the middle of Atlanta, with nothing but fellow metal dudes and a dangerously-low supply of beer to keep them sane.

You guys destroyed at Scion Rock Fest a few weekends ago! I think I'm still sore from that circle pit you kicked up. How did you end up playing the show?

They made us an offer we couldn't refuse!

Did you catch any of the other bands' sets? Who were you most excited to see, and who were you disappointed to have missed?

Excited to see Toxic Holocaust, 1349, Tyr, Baroness and High on Fire (and drink with Matt Pike) Bummed that we didn't get a chance to see our brothers in Wolves in the Throne Room. Honestly, the lineup was so good it was impossible to see every band we wanted to.

Who were you most excited to play with? Did you get starstruck at all? (I totally did)

Really stoked to play with our good friends, but not necessarily starstruck. Although really stoked to meet some new people. It's going to take a lot to top meeting Bill Ward and Glenn Danzig!

What happened after I saw you last at the hotel?

We were stranded until Tuesday. We hung out with High on Fire, Toxic Holocaust, and Converge, got drunk as f*ck and partied like heavy metal was the law!!!

What was the best thing about that weekend for you? The worst?

The best part was the overwhelming turnout. The worst part was when the hotel bar closed. (Editor's note: This was a very commonly held sentiment. Who even HAS blue laws, anymore?!)

Was it worth all the hassle?

Shit yeah!

If I'm not mistaken, you guys unleashed a brand-new song off your upcoming full-length album during your set at Scion. What can you tell me about the new album? How close to completion is it?

We're eight songs into the writing process and are recording in June with Jack Endino in Seattle. Expect good old-fashioned evil fun.

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Make sure to check out Skeletonwitch's brand-new music video for "Sacrifice For The Slaughtergod," (below) from their Prosthetic debut, 'Beyond the Permafrost.' Also, do yourself a favor - catch them on tour this spring with Kylesa/Black Tusk and Amon Amarth. The 'Witch destroy live, so come prepared to thrash!